Living Requiem
by Nightsailer
Summary: After haunting Sanzo's memories for over a decade, Koumyou Sanzo is reincarnated. & when Sanzo finds out, he betrays all his friends' trust and takes off for the north to find him. But what happens if he was reincarnated...as a she!
1. Reincarnation

__

Clatter.

Once again the golden crown rolled across the floor to hit the young knees of Genjou Koryuu. Time again the blood splashed on the white robes. Yet again the master's hand fell limp at the pupil's side.

…and again the trembling lips spoke the words…

"From this day forth, you shall be known as…Genjou Sanzo…"

~*~

Genjou Sanzo sat bolt upright in bed for what seemed like the millionth time in his life. Rain splashed through the open window onto his already sweat-ridden face, washing away the salty solution in a series of rivers cascading down his cheeks.

"Damn, it happened again…" 

The priest let his head fall into his gloved hands. That night…the night Koumyou Sanzo had died…plagued him night after night, year after year. The image of his mentor bathed in his own blood on the ground was engraved in his mind for all eternity, and there was no way in hell to erase it.

Sanzo looked blearily out the window up at the sky. Dark clouds rumbled, sending their tears tumbling down to earth. Feeling his own emotions start to loose from their invisible restraints, the priest slammed the window shut with such force that the panes cracked.

"Shut up…" he whispered to the weeping heavens, "shut up."

_This memory is over a decade old! Why won't it let me be?!_ "WHY?!" His forehead touched the broken windowpane as he fought to control his feelings. "Why must you plague me, Koumyou Sanzo?!" Then, softer, he added, "Why did you leave me, Koumyou Sanzo…?"

Behind him, the door creaked open. Sanzo did not turn around, choosing instead to keep his eyes focused on the falling rain. "I am fine, Hakkai. Nothing but a dream."

"You should learn to look before you speak, Genjou Sanzo," said a woman's voice. 

Slowly, Sanzo swiveled to face the intruder. "You…"

"Hardly a warm welcome for someone bringing you good news," said the Merciful Goddess. She stood lightly in the doorframe, twirling a rose between her nimble fingers. Her mischievous eyes regarded him bemusedly as she smiled.

"Good news? There's something I haven't heard in a while." All traces of emotion drained from his face, leaving him with his usual placid stare. "Alright then, out with it."

"You were just thinking of Koumyou Sanzo, weren't you?"

The muscle in his cheek twitched. "That is none of your concern. Tell me the news and be gone."

The Goddess smirked. "You were. I can see it in your face. However, it is Koumyou Sanzo that I bring news of. It seems that the gods have smiled upon him, pure soul that he was, and speeded up the process of reincarnation."

The priest was silent. His blue-purple eyes regarded her warily, but with a hint of hope. "I didn't think even the gods could speed up that process…"

"He has been reborn far to the north of this place. However, this presents a problem, as your quest leads you to the west. Your friends are trusting you to take them to the one who is trying to resurrect Lord Gyumaoh. Each of them has something very important riding on this journey."

"And your point is?" Sanzo got to his feet, his fists clenching at his sides. "I've had to suffer half my life because of his death…for him to be reincarnated during my lifetime is a miracle in itself. I must go to him. Besides; the troubles of the others are of no concern to me."

"Isn't that a little selfish, after what all they've sacrificed for you?"

"I don't care, god dammit! All they sacrificed was by their own choice; not mine. I have no debt to pay for their decisions. They can either go with me, or go their own way. I care not which."

"Sit down, Priest Sanzo." The Merciful Goddess absently twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "You know as well as I that you won't leave your comrades. You need them in these days of war."

He stared at her challengingly for a while, then gave up and sank back down onto the bed in defeat. "I suppose."

"Good. So you'll be going with them to the West." She dropped her hand to her side. "A wise choice if I do say so myself…Well, I'll be going then. Good luck. You'll see your master after your journey is complete…" The Goddess then faded into the shadows, leaving the priest alone.

After she had gone, a smirk spread across Sanzo's face. "I said I would take them with me, but I didn't say to where. Wait for me, Koumyou. I will come to you."

~*~

"I knew he wouldn't follow my instructions," the Goddess said quietly from her throne in the heavens. "But I wonder how he will react when he finds out Koumyou has been reincarnated as a woman…?"

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Well, what did you think??? Good idea, bad idea, what?! R&R!!


	2. Graveyard: Past and Present

Sorry it took me so long to update...I guess I've been kinda busy. .;; But here's the next chapter! I hope you guys like it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! And if you have any ideas, they're always welcome. R&R!

"Hey! That's my pancake, you stupid monkey!"

"Stop calling me that! And it's MINE, nymphao kappa!"

Sanzo laid awake, one arm sprawled lazily across his eyes, listening to the commotion in the next room. He had drifted into an uneasy sleep after the visit from the merciful goddess, and surprisingly it had been dreamless. But even with the little bit of rest he had gotten, the noise from his companions was not at all pleasing.

A soft knock came at the door. "Sanzo? You awake?"

The priest let his arm fall away from his face onto the pillow. "How could I NOT be?" He muttered. "Come on in, Hakkai."

The brunette opened the door and shut it softly behind him. "I'm sorry; Goku and Gojyo wanted breakfast, and I didn't want to take them down to the main lobby this early in the morning-"

"So you decided to order room service and have the noise closer to where people are actually sleeping, huh?"

Hakkai's hand lingered on the doorknob. "Well, I suppose I didn't think of that..."

Sanzo laughed. "It's alright, old friend. I'll beat the shit outta them later."

"Go easy on them; they can't help it." Hakkai walked over and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "At any rate, I stocked up on supplies last night while you all were sleeping. We're all set to head out any time you're ready."

"The sooner the better. I have a feeling the other guests at this inn aren't going to be very happy with us."

"When did you start caring about that?"

"I don't. I'd just rather not have to put up with any whining until AFTER we're on the road." Sanzo stretched and pulled himself into a sitting position, shrugging into the white robes that hung limply around his waist.

"Alright then, I'll go get Hakuryu ready to go." The demon got to his feet and headed for the door.

The priest's amethyst eyes followed his friend, his brow furrowed in contemplation. The goddess's words rang clear in his head. _"He has been reborn far to the north of this place. However, this presents a problem, as your quest leads you to the west. Your friends are trusting you to take them to the one who is trying to resurrect Lord Gyumaoh. Each of them has something very important riding on this journey."_

...Koumyou...

"Hakkai!" he called.

The man turned to face his companion. "Yes?"

Somehow the lie came harder than usual as he pushed the words past his lips; "I...I have been informed that Kougaiji and his band of misfits have moved Gyumaoh up North. So as of now, we shall be heading North."

Hakkai regarded him curiously. "Alright then," he said after a while. "To the North." Then he turned and walked through the door.

Sanzo stared after his friend long after the door had closed behind him. A disbelieving expression graced his face. "...He believed me...that easily..." he murmured. His hands moved absently, pulling the wrinkles out of his robe. "Perhaps they have gone soft...Perhaps they have forgotten what every man should know..." His eyes turned heavenward as he repeated the lines that were forever engraved in his memory; "Embrace nothing...if you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet your father, kill your father. For in the end, the only one you can save is yourself." He reached to the bedside table and picked up the golden crown, setting it gently over his equally yellow hair. "You taught me that piece of wisdom, Master...and yet you are the only one whose sake I cannot follow it for. Very well...to the North."

A few hundred miles later, the little group rode peacefully toward their new destination.

...well...almost peacefully.

"You stupid jackass! Gimme back my gameboy!"

"It's mine too, moron! Hakkai only bought one!"

Gojyo and Goku sat in the backseat of the jeep, as per usual. But this time they had a new toy; a gameboy. Hakkai had picked it up for them before their departure, hoping it would keep them quiet for a while.

"You know what?!" Sanzo reached around back and grabbed the device. "You two are acting like a couple of three year olds! If you don't shut up, I'm chucking this thing!"

Gojyo promptly flicked him off. "You wouldn't do that. That thing cost us a hundred bucks, you know."

"Wanna bet?" Sanzo turned and tossed the gameboy into the distance. "It wasn't my money, so why should I care?!"

"Not the gameboy!" Goku catapulted over the back of the jeep and scrambled after the gadget.

"IDIOT!" Sanzo stood up in his seat. "GET BACK HERE! Hakkai, stop the jeep!"

Hakkai hit the brakes and came to a skidding halt. Sanzo braced himself against the dashboard, but Gojyo...wasn't so lucky. The redheaded water sprite found himself with his head through the windshield.

"GODDAMMIT HAKKAI WHY DID YOU HAVE TO STOP SO FAST?!"

"Why did you put a hole in my dragon's windshield? You should have been wearing your seatbelt," Hakkai retorted, commanding Hakuryu to transform back into dragon form to recuperate.

The little group trotted after their 'fallen' friend, who now sat in the middle of the road, the gameboy clutched in his hand. When they approached, the boy didn't turn around.

"GAY LITTLE MONKEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE--"

Goku turned around, and the haunted look on his face stopped Gojyo in mid-sentence. "Guys..."

Sanzo stepped forward and knelt beside his companion. "What is it, Goku?"

Goku slowly pointed off to their left. Every head turned.

"Shit..." Gojyo said softly.

Across from them lay a barren wasteland, littered with bodies of the dead.


End file.
